Skirt and trouser combination holder and hanger



Dec. 22, i959 H. F. MARROCCO SKIRT AND TROUSER COMBINATION HOLDER AND HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 195e Henry F. Marrocco IN VEN TOR.

BY m/WMW Dec.. 22, 1959 Filed Aug. 2, 1956 Fig. 5

H. F. MARRocco QSOI SKIRT AND TROUSER COMBINATION HOLDER AND HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Henry F. Marrocco INVENTOR.

BY M55/amy .3mm

SKIRT AND TRUSER COMBINATION HLDER AND HANGER Henry F. Marrocco, Clifton, NJ.

Application August 2, 1956, Serial No. 601,792

1 Claim. (Cl. 223-95) This invention relates to a combination holder and hanger for both ladies and gentlemens garments.

Garment hangers and holders have been developed in the past. Such holders are reasonably satisfactory, but have certain deficiencies. An object of this invention is to provide a garment holder and hanger which combines various desirable features in order to overcome deciencies in prior combination hangers of which l am aware. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact skirt and trouser combination holder and hanger which is capable of being used at home or while travelling with equal facility inasmuch as it becomes compact when not in use and supports the clothing in an effective manner, that is, without wrinkling but yet in a secure manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provfde a combination holder and hanger for garments wherein the device is capable of being folded to an inoperative position and wherein the device occupies only a small space in the closet when using the same.

Many of the prior garment hangers have been extensible However, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an extensible type garment hanger which utilizes the expansion of a spring in order to hold the garment, as a pair of trousers, fastened in place thereon in distinction to the use of the compressive force of the spring. By utilizing a spring in tension the garment hanger is capable of being returned to a more compact position for storage and travel.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hanger constructed in accordance with the invention showing the same in use in connection with the hanging of a pair of trousers in a closet;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same type of combination hanger and holder showing the same in use in connection with a skirt;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 3--3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hanger which is constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-'7 of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the combination holder and hanger showing it in a collapsed position as would be used when travelling.

In the accompanying drawings there is a combination holder and hanger 10 which is constructed in accordance with the invention. The structure of the combination de- Patented Dec. 22, 1959 vice is made simplified in order to be practical and cornrnercially feasible. The structure consists of a tube 12 in which rod 14 is reciprocably mounted. Tension spring 16 is mounted in the tube 12 and has one end 18 attached to the inner extremity of the rod 14. The opposite end of the coil spring 16 is threaded as at 2t) in one end part of tube 12 or may be attached thereto in another' manner. Adjacent to that part of tube i2 there is an end wall 22 having an opening 24 through which the rod 14 passes, the openng 24 functioning as a guide to help center the rod during any reciprocating movement thereof with respect to tube 12. The normal position of rod 14 is shown in Figure 5 that is, the spring 16 pushing the rod outwardly of the bore of tube 12. When the rod 14 is returned, as by pushing it inwardly of tube 14, it is against the y'elding opposition of spring 16. Hence, the spring 16 functions as a means to resiliently push the rod 14 with respect to the tube 12 in such direction as to extend these parts.

Garment engaging means 30 and 32 are located at the outer ends of the device and more particularly, on one end of tube 12 and on one end of rod 14 respectively. The garment engaging means are identical. For example, see Figure 6 where garment engaging means 30 are illustrated more clearly. They consst of a single piece of spring material which is bent to form a bight 34 intermediate the ends thereof, this bight embracing the outer surface of tube 12 and being joined thereto, as by being soldered or cemented or otherwise secured, depending upon the materials of construction which are selected for the combination holder and hanger. There are two lateral projections 36 and 38 at the ends of the bight 34 and from these lateral projections, arms 40 and 42 that are generally parallel to each other, proceed. These arms are undulated as at 44 and 46 respectively in order to have a firm grip onto the garment, whether it be a pair of trousers as at S0 or skirt as at 54.

Hook 56 functions as a part of the means for attaching the combination device onto a clothes pole 57 or 58 or some other support. Hanger 60 is formed of a split sleeve 62 which frictionally embraces tube 12 and which has shank 64 extending therefrom. Sleeve 66 is at the extremity of shank 64 and is offset slightly so that when the hook 56 is moved to the inoperative position, as in travelling when the garment is in a suitcase, the hook will not interfere unduly with the garment.

In use the pair of trousers 50 has the cuff parts thereof that is, the trouser tubes, inserted over the arms of the garment supporting means 3i) and 3?.. This can be accomplished only after the rod 14.- is pushed inwardly, against the yielding bias of spring 16, of the tube 12. Upon release of the pressure on the rod 14 the spring wiil cause the rod and tube to automatically hold the trousers as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2 and in Figure 4 skirt 70 is looped around the alternate arms of the garment holding means 30 and 32 in order to hold it in place. However, the holding action of the combination device is identical to the action employed in connection with the pair of trousers 50. In transportation, as when the garments are placed in an overnight bag or the like, the hanger 60 is merely twisted about the tube 14 until it assumes the position as shown in Figure 8 whereby it will lay upon the garment. Therefore the hook part of the combination device does not occupy any additional space that is, space which is considered additional measured longitudinally of the garment.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A garment holder comprising a pair of garment grippers, extensible means to which said garment grippers are secured for supporting said garment grippers in garment engaging positions, said extensible means including a tube having a bore, one of said grippers attached to the outer end of said tube, said extensible means also including a rod, the other of said garment grippers attached to the outer end of said rod, the inner end of said rod disposed in the bore of said tube, said tube having a wall provided with an aperture, said apertured wall partially closing the inner end of said bore of said tube, said rod slidably extending through said aperture, a tension spring disposed in said bore and concealed by being located wholly within said bore of said tube, one end of said spring reacting on said wall so that said wall constitutes an abutment for said spring, means securing said one end of said spring to said tube at said wall and thereby anchoring one end of said spring with respect to said tube and said rod, said spring being a coil spring and said rod extending into the bore formed by the coils of said coil spring, the opposite end of said spring attached to the inner end of said rod to yieldingly oppose movement of said rod inwardly of said tube and to return said rod to an extended position with reference to said tube, and means including a hook for supporting said tube and said rod in an elevated position at which a garment may be supported by said grippers.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,247,551 Lendle Nov. 20. 1917 1,804,314 Brun May 5, 1931 2,429,712 Fetter Oct. 28, 1947 2,829,811 Baschnonga Apr. 8, 1958 

